Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed his gratitude to people of the state, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced him as winner of the March 9 governorship election.

He floored his closest rival, Isa Ashiru of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with a margin of 231,259 votes.

After a collation that lasted two days, El-Rufai was declared winner by Prof. Muhammed Bello, the state collation officer.

Bello said the incumbent governor polled a total of 1,045,427 while Ashiru 814,168 votes.

“That Nasir El-Rufai of the APC having satisfied the requirements of the law and having scored the highest number of votes is hereby returned and elected,” Mr. Bello said.

El-Rufai took to his verified Twitter account as soon as the announceent was made to say: “Alhamdulillah! We campaigned vigorously on our record and continuously prayed for God to choose the best leader for Kaduna State even if that choice is someone else!! God has decided.

“We are grateful to over 1 million Kaduna voters through whom He made us the choice,” he wrote.